Five Minutes
by StarryDreamer01
Summary: It's easier to deal when you take life five minutes at a time. (Perspectives from 4x02)


**A/N:** Guess this is becoming a series! LOL We'll see where this all goes, no promises. But I hope you're enjoying it. For those outside of Ontario, Fort Erie is under the jurisdiction of the Niagara Regional Police Services, hence the reference to Niagara.

* * *

When the call comes that she's been cleared for duty again, her heart races; she's unsure and feeling like fresh paint. She wonders vaguely if they'll keep her on desk and spends five minutes in a bathroom stall taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves.

In the locker room Gail laughs at her when she tries to put her uniform shirt on over her vest. She cracks that she was only undercover for,_ like, five minutes._

_Six months_, Andy hisses in reply. Six months that felt like five minutes.

…

Over the course of six months, Sam figures that barely five minutes have passed where he hadn't thought of Andy. He knows he's overly protective and worries too much, she's told him as much when they were dating. He can't help it, hard knocks made him that way.

All the not knowing made him create worst case scenarios in his head and in six months he figures he's had five minutes of sleep. He realizes now that Andy has been and probably always will be his undoing.

Marlo is smart, fun to be around and they get along; it's uncomplicated. It's a phrase he repeats over and over in his head, justifying his choices. He finally verbalizes it to Oliver and his friend reminds him he's always liked complicated.

Later, when Nick congratulates him on his promotion, he repeats a second phrase he's used over and over again. This time it's to justify why he'd applied to be a detective.

_Heat, belts, itchy material. _

It rolls off of his tongue almost too easily and he sounds defensive. He wonders briefly if Andy can see through his lies as she gives him a strange look.

What she doesn't realize is that there are perks to being a detective; especially if one worries too much and is overly protective.

…

She grabs her bag off of the table slowly. She has a million things to say and parade starts in five minutes. Instead, she barely manages a word.

What she wants to say is: Y_ou're dating Marlo? You've moved on? Why didn't you wait for me?_

But, _so… _comes out instead.

He interrupts her thoughts and asks her how she is.

_Good, great, awesome, fantastic_. All are adjectives that she repeats to anyone that asks. She feels ridiculous and wonders briefly if he can see through her lies because he gives her a strange look.

It is their first real conversation since she's been back and it's awkward and her heart is in her throat the entire time. She pretends to be confident, but inside she wants to hide.

It feels like those five minutes last forever.

…

When she asks him for a ride to the Penny, it takes him five minutes to drop off his weapon and grab his keys. Usually it takes him longer; he doesn't like to leave Traci with all the reports to file. But tonight Andy has asked him for a ride and it feels like before.

The Penny is a five minute drive and for the first time he wishes it were further. They sit in silence, the music on the radio speaking for them. He wants to tell her why he became a detective; he wants to explain that he spent six months practically selling his soul to the detectives in Niagara for information on her.

Instead, he criticizes her shooting technique when really he wants to commend her for doing exactly what he loves about her. She sees through his bull and laughs, throwing his criticism back in his face. They're teasing each other and it's fluid, natural. Just like before.

…

In seconds her expression turns serious and the air in the truck becomes thick.

Where Andy finds the courage to ask, she'll never know. But she does and his response is unexpected. He blames her for leaving. She is surprised at how calm she sounds when she reveals that she'd loved him, even after everything. That six months ago, she had felt the same way he did.

That she still feels that way, is what she wants to add, but doesn't. What felt like only five minutes ago, becomes six months.

The tears are there, they sting the back of her eyes. She pinches at the skin on her hand, willing herself not to cry, not in front of him.

His words injure her more than she dares admit, so she nods instead, her nails digging in deeper.

With the last bit of courage she can muster, she asks through gritted teeth what's been on her mind all day. _Why her?_

He rattles off his reasons and they feel practiced to her ears.

_She's not you._

The words hit her squarely and startle her. Her eyes meet his and she notices that his face has softened. There's something else there, something she can't place.

She smiles in spite of herself. _Okay._

…

When she exits his truck, Sam's mouth is agape. He struggles to find the words, wants to call after her, but doesn't know where to begin. Instead, he stays silent, chastising himself for his cowardice when she closes the door.

It feels a little like she's shutting the door on them.

It takes him five minutes to collect himself before he can join the rest of 15 inside. When the thump of music and loud roar of voices envelope him, he wonders briefly when six months of what felt like good decisions came crashing down.

_Five minutes ago. _

**.:FIN:.**

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